Planning For Extended Family Christmas Four Christmases

Yes, four Christmases. How many do you have? Ours get kicked off today.

Dans Paternal Nana

Nana and two of Dans aunts are visiting us today, weather permitting. We exchange a small gift with Nana and are going to give a few pictures to the aunts. Daniel is pretty excited to see them. He loves it when Dan or I are chatting with either Nana or "Auntie" on Facebook. I expect a lot of rough play with "Auntie" today. She is a gem of an aunt.

My Moms Family

We alternate Christmas between Dans family and my moms family. This year is Dans familys turn, so we see my moms family on Christmas Eve. There is a massive gift exchange here, with everyone buying everyone else presents. On Christmas Eve, my mom hosts a get together. I like to help her with the cooking. My kids love to play with her young step-children.

Dans Maternal Nana

We will be going to the home of Dans maternal Nana on Christmas day. We exchange gifts with Dans parents and Dans Nana. I love my in-laws, especially Dans cousins, who have become dear friends. We went from seeing them several times a week to seeing them a few times a year, so we are looking forward to seeing everyone. Most of Dans family hasnt met Thomas yet. Even though our children are the only ones of their generation, we expect a lot of playing to be going on.

My Dads Family

We always get together the week after Christmas. We go to an all you-can-eat Chinese restaurant, then go back to my sisters house, that used to be my grandparents house. We do a small gift exchange, where everyone buys for everyone else, but nothing big. My Dad sells stuff on ebay for a living, so he gives out the yard sale stuff that wouldnt sell.

My Multiple Christmases Tip

My non-tightwaddish but sanity-saving holiday tip for people with a lot of Christmases: buy a package of disposable diapers. Thats my solution for pretty much all hectic times. Its my Christmas present to myself. I get a week without washing cloth diapers. I dont have to bag up poopy diapers and take them with us in the car for two hours. I dont have to explain anything about cloth diapering to family members, because no one will ask.

Do you have any tips on surviving many christmases and hectic holidays?

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